US fails to unite fractious Darfur rebels

Nov 8, 2005, (NAIROBI) — The United States failed to bridge gaps between fractious Sudanese rebels on Tuesday, but urged the parties to overcome their differences ahead of peace talks this month or risk losing international support.

Discord in the main rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), fighting the government in Darfur region has been a key stumbling block at previous rounds of negotiations.

Fears of a deeper rift mounted last week after SLM members elected a new president after the incumbent failed to stand.

“My concluding point with the SLM was that we want to help them, but to help them they need to help us be able to deal with the united movement,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick told reporters after holding talks with SLM leaders.

Both Abdel Wahed Mohamed el-Nur and the newly elected Minni Arcua Minnawi claim the presidency of the group, and Zoellick had been due to meet both men in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

But the day got off to a bad start when Minnawi failed to show up, sending his deputy instead. Nur’s group was already there, and when the two factions came face-to-face, Minnawi’s delegation walked out, swiftly followed by Nur and his aides.

After 30 minutes, Zoellick convinced both groups to return.

“Since the day started with the fact that I had a hard time getting them in the room together, I think there was some progress by getting them to listen to my … message and listen to the views of our international partners,” Zoellick said.

“It is a very fluid situation … the process of SLM coherence is proceeding.”

REAL LEADERSHIP?

An upsurge in fighting in Darfur in Sudan’s remote west has drawn global attention to the rising death toll and humanitarian crisis, which Washington has called genocide.

But it remains unclear who will head the SLM to peace talks on November 21 in Abuja, and outside the conference room on Tuesday both factions insisted they were the legitimate rebel leaders.

“In the movement we are well united, but there is a faction calling itself the new chairman,” Nur told Reuters. He has said last week’s vote was invalid because he did not participate.

But a spokesman for the absent Minnawi rejected that.

“They can say whatever they want, but we had a democratic election,” said Seifeddin Haroun. “We are the real leadership of the SLM.”

Meanwhile, U.S. officials shuttled back and forth between the groups of rebels — many in suits, but others in fatigues and camouflage-mesh headscarves — outside the luxury hotel.

Some analysts fear rifts in the SLM leadership may have escalated violence in Darfur as local rebel commanders exploit uncertainty on the ground and jockey for position.

An April 2004 truce has frequently been broken, and Zoellick said more violence risked unraveling a very fragile situation.

“One of the most important assets for the SLM is the support of countries around the world, but to market that support they have to respect the ceasefire,” he said before flying to Sudan.

“They can’t follow a path of violence and they are going to have to come up with a common negotiating position.”

Tens of thousands have been killed and more than 2 million uprooted during 2-1/2 years of revolt in vast Darfur.

Non-Arab rebels took up arms in early 2003 accusing the Arab-dominated central government of marginalizing them.

(Reuters)